The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-06
The SENATE AID HOUSE.
DORGs OF THE NATIONAL Lee
ISLArIVR BODIES.
Petitions, Resolutions and Bills In.
trodseed-The Conference Report
on the Commerce Bill.

WAsHKersS, January 5.--iSenate =
Among the papers submitted 10 th'
Senate by the presiding officer Weft
three reports from the secretary o
War in response 10 resolutions Of In
qniry as to change OF engineers on tbs
Improvements a. the mouth Of thu
Columbia river; 80 TO the projectsd
bridge across the Arthur XIII, be-
tween New Jeney and Staten leland
and as to tie apportionment OF the
money appropriated for the i'm prove
ment Of tae Missouri river. Also 9
report OF the Commissioner OF the
General Land Office relative TO the
Withhold lag from sale Of coal and
iron lands in Alablms. Also vAriout
memorials Of public bodies IN favor Of
the passage of the interstate com.
merce bill. Mr.. Cullom presented q
memorial Of the PittLburg Chamber oil
Commerce IN favor OF the passage Of
the Interstate commerce bill, also the
proceedings OF railroad conven ion
on the same subject.
Senator Mitchell (PA) from the
Comm ttge on Pensions, reported z
bill granting peneion of 5000 yeei
10 tue widow OF Con John A. l. gan
and asks FIR immediate consideration
bu under objection by Senator Coke,
The bill went over until tomorrow.
Sena OF MsndeTaon offered a rosolu
tion calling on the Secretary OF tie
Inteiiet for information ga TO school
lands GO frme1 % shs State Of Me-
brNka, ard in the meantime request.
ing suspension Of public entries on
fuch Rnds. Adopted.
Senator MCPners0n offered aTesolu.
ton ealing on the Secretary OF the
Treas ny for a stateme1t OF the in
debtedness OF the Pscilic railroad com.
paniss 10 he government on Janusry
], 1887, with details OF all payments
made ON account OF the sale; also az to
the Sums dus OF to become due (prin-
cipAi and iuterest) under existing
laws, seventy and collectively; and
what difference will result TO the
Treasury ii the pending Senate bill
Che funding billy should become a
law.
SlnA'or Hear moved to amend the
resolution by adding 10 II these words,
"And statement Of all existing ques.
items In regard TO the amount Of such
debts In dispute between seid comps
niea and the government"
Senator Mcpherson argued against
the proposed amendment as tending
toward d ay, and suggested that ii
Senator III az would promise not TO
bring up tue bill At the present ses.
sion he woNld withdraw his resolution.
Senator Hoar expressed his great
surprise al the proposition, but offered
10 agree not TO call up the bill until
the Information asked be obtained.
Senator Mcpherson thanked the
Senator even for that coucPssion. He
asserted that the effect Of the funding
bill " nd be to give az \ donation to
these Pacific railroads moro money
than the en- ire value Of all the lands
J claimed under the forfeiture bills
for tn lat three years.
Be- ator Hoar regarded this es a very
extraordinary proceeding, This bill
had been reported in It's general fea-
turop lHot Congress. A dobb arnount-
ing 10 abeut Sl6, 900, 600 would be due
TO the government by those companies
on an average Of eleven or twelve
years from this time. An equal
amount would be duo by the com.
panie3 on hrst mortgage bonds, 60
which the government debt was sub
ordintie. The Judiciary Committee
wss Faii5fe that IL would not b. ex.
pedient or The government at the
end Of thsl time b drive these com
paui9H into bankruptcy and 10 have
them sold Ia the market on the one
hand, or OptrAled by the government
itself on the other hand. II tlure was
any Sai RtOr who diA red with the
commit ee On eiiher of theas PROPOSE
tions no snonl be surprised TO learn
the fact II the companies could be
assut d that tbs g)verament would
not assert It's authority and would
allow Them 10 nuke arrangem nls to
ialbo anew Loan to pay Of the govern
Ment lnnn they would pr baby do
that and 20 on. But now they could not
no u. The funding hil was recon-
msndtd by tao present udminislra-
ton.
Senator Elmunds tuggssted that all
The information asked for in the reso-
luton and amendments was 10 be
found ia ,he report OF the II iir nd
Commissioner, stated very clearly and
very well. As TO The opinion OF the
Secretary OF the Treasury of the effect
OF the funding Till, that was = matter
Of simple arithmstioal calculation
which any one could make for hun
sell.
After iurther discussion, ia which
Senator McPher5on spoke OF the lrauds
Ia connection with the original stock,
and Senator Hoar showed how the
stock wac now chiefly In the hands OF
small owuere, and ga d that the discus
sion atthis timo conld only be in tho
interest a. Rptculat tors, the matter
went over without action Until tomor.
roE.
The senate then, at 8 o'clock, took
up the conference rapport OF the inter.
ttl@ commerce bill, and was ad-
blessed by Senator Plat Comm. He
uppOs d lhe conference report and adj
VuCated its tJ-c,inn solely for the rfa.
son that il prohibits pooling. In al
oihe, r,specto he favored the compro-
N o. bill The eutj jet (poaling) wgs
not vel understood by the public
ranarshy. lie proceeded to ex m ne
at length aud explain the law on tho
EnbjeCt and practice.
H. thought the Senate bill recog-
zsd pruclpo that wes sound.
Tn principle WAS tina, the question
81 what wss reasnnRble charge on
freight to or from station was not To
90 dottrE iueA by the question OF
what wac charged for freight ~ or
from another ststion. In other words,
che quplt IN Of reasonable freight
charges varied with locations and with
the volume ard character Of the bust
.GesH. He thought that the conferences
report eli usa tgs TO the shorter dis
tsnre being included in the longer dis,
tance) was uncertain and ambiguous
He did not think that anybody knew
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